Depolarizer for primary batteries



UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE.

RAYMOND C. BENNER AND HARRY FRENCH, OF FREMONT, OHIO, .ASSIGNORS 'IO NATIONAL CARBON COMIPANY. INC., .A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

IBEPOLARIZER FOR PRIMARY BATTERIES.

No Drawing.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, RAYMOND Bunsen and HARRY F. FRENCH, citizens of the United States, and residents. respectively, 0t Fremont, in the county of Sandusky and State oi Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Depolarizers for Primary Batteries. of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to depolarizers for electric batteries employing an alkaline electrolyte with a positive electrode of zinc.

In primary batteries of the type referred to it has been the custon'i to use copper oxide (C110) as the depolarizing; material, and it is the usual practice to heat commercial copper oxide scale in the presence of oxygen to convert any cuprous oxide (C11 0) over into the higher oxide.

o have found that it sulphur or sulphides be mixed. with cuprous oxide and used as a depolarizer, the voltage is increased to a value considerably greater than that prmluced by the cupric oxide mixed with sulphur, as disclosed in the amiilicatimi (it ll. V. Erwin filed Nov. 30, 1915, Serial No, (34,342. In other words. the effect ot sulphur on. cuprous oxide is much greater than its eilect on cupric oxide.

There is no specific amount ot sulphur that should be added to the cuprous oxide to produce the desired result, but we have touiiul that l)? sulphur is a egood proportion.

Since the available oxygen in euprous oxidc per grain of copper is only half that ol': cupric oxide, the service lite of a call made up entirely' oi ouprmls oxide would no be sullioient to render it suitaliile for certain purposes jasrailwa wort; ITT ever, advantage can be ta en of the hi voltage of the cuprous o and sulph hv n1 inn" it with eupric oxide. There is no specific combination o-F the two oxi that is 6th: tial, as the prop ion will do pend entirely upon the purpose tor which the cell is to he used. ll a high voltage is the desideratunu the depolarizer should Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 16, 1922.

Application filed August 22, 1918. Serial No. 251,030.

consist largely or entirely of Cu,() and sulphur; while greater amounts of cupric oxide should be used when greater service life is desired.

To give an idea of the relative values of cuprous and oupric oxides with and without sulphur, the following table is given:

Sulphur. CuO. C1120. Volts.

0 o 100 .640 1% o 99% .800 o 100% 0 .640 0 .690

The values given in the above table are averages from standard tests with one ampere continuous drain until the voltage of the cell drops to 0.5 volts. i

It is not necessary to use elemental sulphur in the mixtures to produce the desired results, as the various sulphides set forth in our application filed January 26, 191.7, Serial No. 1%,618, can be used.

Having described our invention, what we claim is:

l. A depolarizer tor alkaline cells cow tainiug cuprous oxide mixed with sulphur each of said ingredients being; effective. substantially as described.

.2. .A. depolarizer for alkaline cells eontaining a mixture of cuprous oxide, cupric oxide and sulphur each. of said ingredients being effective, substantially as described.

3. In primary batteries, the combination of an, alkaline electrolyte, a zinc electrode and a depolarizingelectrode, comprising as oilecti ve ingredients, cuprous oxide and sulphu in admi. t re.

4. l prim batteries, the combination of an alkaline electrolyte, a zinc electrode and depolarizing electrode conprising as effective ingredients, cuprous oxide. cupric oxide and sulphur in admixture.

in testimony whereof. we hereunto afiix our signatures.

RAYMOND C. BENNER. HARRY F. FRENCH. 

